An article
penned by Boris Johnson, is a beautiful thing. He is Immediately identifiable
as the original author. In a world of plentiful political utterances, where
every single word is put through the interdicting process of speech writing
teams producing anodyne and immediately forgettable commentary, it is,
beautiful.

What other
politician would reference Jarndyce v Jarndyce, the background plot to Dickens
Bleak House depicting a protracted court case lasting for many generations when
writing about the EU? The answer is none. There is simply no other politician
with the mental agility to draw a parallel between the epic Bleak House and the
monumental ‘cats cradle of red tape,’ that binds members of the European Union.
The intentional bureaucratic process that restrains citizens from taking
advantage of the new, exciting, technological world in which we live. In Bleak
House Dickens writes in reference to Jarndyce v Jarndyce,

‘this scarecrow of a suit has, over the
course of time, become so complicated, that no man alive knows what it means.’ Dickens
could have been writing about the EU today. Boris was.

The article in itself is, in direct contrast to
Bleak House, a sunny optimistic vision of Britain following Brexit. And, we can
never forget, Boris was the key player in delivering Brexit on behalf of the
British people. He details in words impossible to disagree with, the reasons to
be cheerful and in doing so, sets a fantastic platform on which to launch the
conference season. He builds a supporting framework within which our Prime
Minister will deliver her Florence speech next week. To the journalists in a
post Boris article spin, this is not a leadership challenge, there is no
appetite for that. MPs don’t want one, Conservative party members don’t want
one, and the country would never forgive us if we held one. What MPs want is
Theresa May to deliver an advantageous Brexit, in which we can increase our
trade markets, cut VAT, simplify tax, embrace technology, invest in the NHS,
science and the environment and so much more. And then, as in the closing lines
of Bleak House, it will be over.

‘We asked him if
he knew what was doing in it? He said, really no he did not, nobody ever did;
but as well as he could make out, it was over. Over for the day? we asked him.
No, he said; over for good.

It was a huge pleasure to welcome the children from Aspley Guise Lower School to Parliament yesterday.
Bright, funny, inciteful, they were full of questions and intetesting ideas. I asked them to use single words to describe their village to me. Peaceful, beautiful and even historic were the words they used. Who could ask for more?
Thank you so much teachers for making the effort to bring the children to visit the home of our democracy and for the educational tour.

Following my appeal to Kathryn Holloway, Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner and a discussion with Bedfordshire Police yesterday, Beds Police moved swiftly and enacted section 61, moving the travellers from Marston Moretaine playing fields and sports pavilion.
I know this problem has been going on for several months. When travellers were moved on, often they just went elsewhere in the village, sometimes they just moved up the road. When no prompt enforcement action took place, the travellers brought more cars, caravans and people to the village.
Residents’ lives have been made intolerable by a subsequent surge in petty crime. Theft, vandalism and instances of threatening behaviour have increased in the village. Some locals are afraid of leaving their homes unoccupied when they go to work.
Having been moved from the playing fields the travellers have once again moved elsewhere in the village. I’m told they are now on council land and I look forward to working with CBC to make sure that the enforcement powers they have are used swiftly. CBC need to act as promptly as Bedfordshire Police, who were exemplary in the way they executed the removal.
Sadly, the playing fields that have been nurtured and maintained to a high standard for years have been churned up and destroyed, a huge impact on the leisure facilities of the village. Children's football, cricket and adult leisure are all affected.
I will again today continue to press those who have the powers to act and will be in the village on Friday to meet with residents and to once again see the damage, litter and destruction for myself.